“The dolls are so much more than just dolls. In the small way, the dolls make a difference to the child, but in the big way, they make a difference to society"
About us
Our names are Fatma Guettou and Hamid Noroozian and we are the founders and run Watoto Arts.
Watoto Arts is a social enterprise that works to create positive social change.
The idea for Watoto Arts came from seeing the lack of representation in toy stores. We couldn't find dolls that our own children could identify with and the few dolls that did exist were made far away, contained plastics and were neither durable nor made in a nice and transparent way. To counteract the skewed image created by today's limited supply, we took matters into our own hands and started designing and producing our own dolls, that was the starting point for the family business Watoto Arts!
How it started...
"I sat down at the kitchen table in the evening when I was on parental leave and started sewing a doll for my son. In the morning when the children woke up, I gave them the doll and was overwhelmed with love and pride. It should be a matter of course that all children should be able to play with dolls that look like themselves!”
What does your doll box look like? Does it represent society?
Watoto is Swahili and means children - all children. Our vision is to create a world where all children feel included and can develop, regardless of how we look or where we live. We know that the foundation for many of the values we take with us in life is laid at an early age. We also know how important it is to be able to identify with one's surroundings in order to make room for a safe and confident individual. Our award-winning dolls are therefore more than just dolls, they are a tool to develop empathy and self-esteem and thus create positive social change.
Let's expand our horizons through puppetry!
Our contribution to the UN's sustainability goals
Through our operations, we actively support several of the UN's sustainability goals. We focus especially on these 3 goals
- Goal 5 Equality - We strengthen women in our production and management.
- Goal 10 Reduced inequality - We work actively for increased inclusion and diversity.
- Goal 12 : Sustainable consumption and production – All our products are made in Sweden from sustainable materials that comply with all environmental standards.
We are a work-integrating social enterprise
Watoto Arts is a work-integrating social enterprise that works to create positive social change. We create employment for individuals who have been excluded from the labor market, it may be foreign-born women who have had difficulty finding work. For us, this is an important step in our work for a more inclusive society. We are convinced that by empowering women and mothers, we create the best conditions for a brighter future.
Read more about work-integrating social enterprise here
Our production
All our products are carefully designed and manufactured in Sweden. We are proud to have a short and sustainable production chain that allows us to manufacture safe toys that last for generations. All our dolls are handcrafted from durable fabrics carefully selected by our team.
When you buy our products, you can therefore be sure that you have made a good investment for you, for the children and for our planet.
All Watoto toys are created according to EU requirements for toy safety. We follow the EN71 standard and all our products are non-toxic and fireproof. .
Our production
Having the production in Sweden means that we cut down on long transport routes, which drastically reduces our carbon dioxide emissions and contributes to combating climate change. We also use locally produced and sustainable materials, which further reduces our ecological footprint. Producing locally enables us to implement the strictest environmentally friendly manufacturing methods and ensure that all processes meet high environmental standards.
You as a customer can therefore feel safe in the knowledge that you are supporting a business that contributes positively to society and respects both people and the planet.
"When we create our dolls, we have our children and the well-being of our planet in mind and you can feel that in every doll"
Some of our proudest moments
Watoto Arts took home first place in the ideas competition - For–women
We were accepted into the Reach For Change business incubator
We were appointed Change Leaders
Fatma Guettou was named this year's Womeneur
Watoto Arts won the People's Voice in the Shift final
The dolls got a full page in Vogue Scandinavia
Watoto Arts is awarded by Toy Industries of Europe in the Diversity & Inclusion category
We were appointed by Svensk Handel as one of 100 profiles that work actively for a greener and inclusive e-commerce
The meaning of the doll
Play is a fundamental and central part of children's development and learning.
Watoto Art dolls are designed to encourage inclusive play. They are available in a range of different looks, reflecting the diversity of society. By playing with a Watoto doll, children have the opportunity not only to reflect themselves, but also to explore and understand others.